Fifth Sunday at Peepaw's

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Whenever there is a month with a 5th Sunday, the descendants of #9 (of 13 siblings) aka Peepaw descend upon 4012 South Adams Street for dinner.

Back in the day - - - a few short days ago - - -this used to be a relatively simple thing for we all lived within an hour of 4012 South Adams Street.

Such is no longer the case - - - and the length of time between our 5th Sunday gatherings has gotten longer and longer for now we are scattered from the Tundra of Alaska to the Tropics or Florida.


Yesterday we came homing in from the four corners of the world to meet at Peepaw's table once again.

All FOUR generations of us.


I used the panoramic feature on my new camera to try and capture a wider view of the festivities.

Too bad I cut off Kayla's head and Jason's bald.


Maybe this shot is a bit better - - - at least I only cut off Kayla's nose!


The ultra fancy corrugated toy box was, as usual, the center of activity.


The really wee little one sat off to the side, just a bit, in the protection of daddy's feet, but still enjoyed part of the bounty from The Box.


Even Peepaw, a very young 82, still enjoys the multigenerational floor sitting around The Box of toys - - - same toys which have now entertained two generations of his grans.


Our crowd grew and grew until it was standing room only! In fact, we think our NEXT gathering is going to have to move to larger spaces!


This time the F2 and F3 (grans and great grans) dined at the BIG table with Peepaw



While Sister Pam and I were relegated to the side-bar card table in the living room.


A few of us preferred "grazing" from the serving table.


And for dessert - - - we had some birthday celebratin' to do!


Mackinley a birthday "past" and Peepaw a birthday "future."


Mackinley was happy to do the candle honors for them both.


After dinner, more fellowshipping broke out.


Until one wee angel had to serve her time-out sentence in the corner and her


Third shift weary daddy went off to the Land of Nod despite the clamour all around.

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Sunday Reruns - God's Country

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It's Sunday again, and you know what THAT means!?! It's time for Sunday Favorites!!!

Sunday Favorites are RERUNS, not current posts - - - if you want to participate, just repost something you previously posted "back in the day."

Thanks so much to Chari over at Happy to Design for hosting this meme, "Sunday Favorites." You may click on the link to find the rules and see more favorite posts.

I have been reposting favorites in order from the beginning of my blogging experience back in June of 2006 and moving toward "now." I have reached our Wisconsin vacation posts from the summer of 2008. Since we have just recently moved to Wisconsin I have decided to repost some of those posts that honor and highlight my beloved state.

This will be the FIRST of those reposts, and there will be MORE to follow in the next few weeks.

God's Country
(First posted on July 11, 2008)

As seen through the window of a moving vehicle.

This is the land that I love - - -

Because it's the land of my birth and my youth - - -

It is here in this soil

That my roots run deep - - -

And my spirit is free.

On Wisconsin!!

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Doo-Hickey Problem Solved

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For less than $20 at Staples.

Posts with pictures coming soon to a blog near you!

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An Elephant May Never Forget - - -

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But I certainly do!

Fisherhubby and I got up bright and early - - - well, really it was DARK and early - - - and hit the road, Jack!

We are already in Marion Indiana, our former hometown, some seven and a half hours away from our new little home.

We stopped in Janesville for a delicious Cracker Barrel breakfast. (I ate ALL that Uncle Herschel had to offer!)

Anyway, now I'm here, staying with Mr. Comfort, and trying to blog. THAT'S when I realized I forgot my little pink pro duo doo-hickey that takes the pictures FROM my camera memory card TO my computer!!!!

So, until I get this problem solved, or go back home - - - whichever comes first - - - you are stuck with just words from me. Oh but hey - - - when one can't have pictures the LEAST one can do is add TONS of links!!!

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Thin Watery Sunshine

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This is what I call thin watery sunshine. It beats no sunshine anytime because - - -


Thar's snow in them thar clouds!

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Carson Goes to Phoenix and Beyond

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One morning when Carson awoke, mommy said they were going to Phoenix. Carson didn't know where on their tiny Island of Sitka Phoenix was, but she was willing to find out. She was NOTHING if not adventurous.

So, she packed her little bag, and put on her walkin' shoes, and waited patiently for mommy and daddy to get ready to go.


The first stop was the airport. Carson began to WONDER if Phoenix WAS on her little Sitka Island! Maybe it wasn't even IN Alaska!?

But very soon she was distracted watching the hustle and bustle on the tarmac below her window perch. She could see lots of activity going on; planes coming and going, long baggage trains coming and going, and people in funny brightly colored vests waving flashlights around. She found it all very fascinating!

Then something even MORE fascinating caught her attention! There was another little person just her size running about in the airport. Could it be? At long last could she have a friend all her own?

She introduced herself and it was "good times" immediately. She and her little friend sat right down for a chat. They looked out the big window at all the planes. They chased each other up and down and between the rows of seats. There was even a good bit of hugging, which Carson wasn't too sure she liked.

The friend had never heard of Phoenix either.

Soon Carson and her friend had to part ways for their mommies were taking them in different directions to get on different planes.

Carson couldn't remember if she'd ever been on a plane before. She wondered what it would be like to sail high up in the white fluffy clouds.


Soon she found out! Mommy held her up to the window and let her watch as the plane dipped up and down, in and out of the marshmallow clouds.

Oh how she wished she could reach out of that window, stick her little finger into one of those marshmallows, and get just an eeensy teensy taste!

After a while Carson tired of looking at the clouds.

Daddy put some round button things in her ears and she heard music. Funny thing, she couldn't see a band or orchestra anywhere on the plane, and yet she could hear them plain as day in her ears. For a while she liked the music and did a "happy dance" to it.

But eventually she grew tired of the noise. She longed for peace and quiet. She longed to get down and run. In fact, she longed for her own little room and her own little bed in her own little house on her beloved Island of Sitka.

Where in the WORLD were they anyway??? Was THIS Phoenix???

Carson began to cry as if her heart would break - - - for she was pretty sure it would.

Mommy tried to comfort her.

Daddy tried to comfort her.

The stewardess brought her a cookie - - - she threw it on the floor.

She wanted her own dinner in her own home and her own bed with her own soft, fuzzy blankies.

Finally the big plane on which they were riding touched down on the ground with lots of bumping and whooshing noise. At LAST she thought, PHOENIX!

But just then she heard a loud voice that said, "Ladies and gentleman, welcome to Seattle."


Seattle??? What was this Seattle business??? And where WAS Seattle?? And would she NEVER get to Phoenix?

Carson was all done being adventurous.

She was NOT a happy camper.

As she was strapped into yet another travel conveyance of some type, the only thing that could console her AT ALL was chewing on the end of her beloved "buhshhh."

Finally she arrived in Phoenix.

But by THIS time, she was OVER Phoenix! She didn't want to smile. She didn't want to play. And she was SURE she would NEVER want to go to Phoenix again!

So, after about a week in Phoenix, mommy said she would take Carson someplace else. Someplace she was SURE to like.

Before Carson could respond, she was whisked away to ANOTHER airport, and put on ANOTHER plane, and flown through ANOTHER bank of marshmallow clouds.


This time when they landed they were in a warm sunny state mommy called Florida.

Mommy and daddy took Carson to a place where there was a huge bathtub full of waves of salty water, big warm rocks on which to climb, and lovely grains of sand in which to dig her toes.

Carson thought she might be in heaven.

She especially liked the dark glasses that made her look like a little monkey.


Best of all, in this Florida state Carson was reunited with her granpaw. She remembered granpaw!!! He was that funny guy who had just been to see her and feed her Cheerios in Sitka a few weeks ago.

Maybe this Florida place was going to all right after all.


Granmaw soon put her to work doing laundry. Carson thought it was a grand game, never realizing she was having to work like a slave.


Granpaw gave her a little squeegee thing and made her clean the shower. Carson didn't KNOW she was working - - - she thought she was painting a great big beautiful picture, so she had the time of her life.

But Carson made up her mind to ONE thing for sure and certain. She was NEVER again going to get on an airplane as long as she lived!

To get back to Sitka she was going to ride her rock-a-bikey thingy.

All the way.

She would NOT get on another plane!!

Or would she?????

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Thrifters, Antiquers, Decorators and Rednesdayers All - - - You Won't Want to Miss This Visit With Eloise!!!

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Meet my friend Eloise (Pronounced E-Lois)


Sunday following church Eloise noticed I was there alone, Fisherhubby being at work, and invited me over for lunch.

When I stepped into her home, I was immediately so engrossed in looking with WONDER at all her "stuff" that I must confess I completely neglected helping her get lunch on the table!

She is such a sweetie she loved me anyway.

Her home is filled to the brim with antiques, collectibles, and various other unique items.

Come along with me on a tour - - - you'll be soooo glad you did.


Close up detail of the beam which crosses the dining room ceiling.


The beam itself was salvaged from a tobacco drying barn. She has adorned it with baskets, stars, and twinkling party lights.


I rather liked this flat wooden village nestled atop door jambs.


This wall in her kitchen is festooned with many vintage kitchen gadgets.


And presided over by a stately row of bundt and other cake pans. Her husband, Bill, told me she started out by buying ONE vintage egg beater.


Everywhere she has vignettes to capture the heart and the imagination.


My eyes barely knew where to look next!


Miniature winter wonderland atop a music box on the dining room table.


Red picnic basket style tin lunch box, tin salt and pepper, and another egg beater


Charlie Brown's Christmas tree blended in happily with the rest.


Hubby Bill built this rustic hutch to house, year around, PART of her village pieces.


I couldn't tell which I liked best - - - her collectibles or the furniture pieces which housed them!!


I told her if she ever happened to tire of her treasures she had ONLY to put a "shoppe" sign on her door - - -

For the displays are already set!


She is the "queen" of using items made for one purpose to serve another. Here a propane camp stove serves as a cabinet - - -


An antique tricycle holds a collectible clown - - -


A child's wooden ironing board doubles as a plant stand - - -


A spinning wheel fills a corner - - -


And a wooden sled makes a delightful coffee table.

Thanks Eloise for opening your home and your heart to me and my bloggy friends!

I believe there is something RED in every single picture, so I am linking this post to Rednesday over at "It's a Very Cherry World."

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